MEXICAN WAR 1846-1848. REVIEW OF TEXAS What does annexation mean? How did Polk justify annexation?...

MEX

ICAN W

AR

1846-1848

REVIEW

OF

TEXAS

• What does annexation mean?

• How did Polk justify annexation?

• What were some problems about annexation? (US/Mexico)

Answer

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CAUSES OF THE MEXICAN WAR

• Manifest Destiny• Texas Annexation by the

United States• Boundary dispute between

Mexico and the U.S. over the boundary of Texas

MANIFEST DESTINY

• Belief that it was America’s God-given right and duty to expand west to the Pacific Coast

• John O’Sullivan• (you better know what

Manifest Destiny is by now)

JOHN GAST‘S - "AMERICAN PROGRESS," (1872)

Manifest Destiny . . .Again

TEXAS ANNEXATION-REVIEW

• By March 1845 Congress had already approved Texas Annexation

• Texas becomes the 28th state in December of 1845.

• WAS ANNEXATION FAIR?• Mexico reacts by cutting off all

diplomatic ties with the U.S.

BOUNDARY DISPUTE

• Texas and U.S. claim that the Rio Grande marks the southern border of Texas

• Mexican government rejects this idea and argues that the real southern border is the Nueces River

Nueces River

Rio Grande River

Area of Dispute

Nueces River boundaryRio Grande boundary

STEPS TO WAR

• June 1845- President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to take U.S. troops into disputed border region

• Polk claims this action is to “protect” Texas from possible Mexican attack

STEPS TO WAR

• Meanwhile, Polk sent diplomat John Slidell to Mexico City to negotiate the purchase California & New Mexico for $30 million

• Mexican officials refused to meet with Slidell

John Slidell

STEPS TO WAR

• March 1846 – General Taylor’s troops made camp at the Rio Grande in disputed territory

• April 25, 1846 – Mexican commander insisted U.S. troops must leave area and Taylor refused to move

• Mexican forces crossed the Rio Grande and attacked group of 63 U.S. soldiers

• 11 Americans killed

STEPS TO WAR

• May 11, 1846 – Polk addressed Congress

• He declared that “Mexico has shed American blood upon the American soil.”

• May 13, 1846 Congress declared war on Mexico (Mexico never declared anything…)

“The cup of forbearance has been exhausted, even before Mexico passed the boundary of the United States, invaded our territory, and shed American blood upon American soil.”

POLK’S CONVINCED

SUPPORT OF THE WAR

• For many Americans, the war led to greater national pride

• Many people who supported the war believed it would spread democratic values

• Many southerners supported the war, thinking any territory won would be organized into slave states

OPPOSITION TO THE WAR

• Many members of the Whig Party (North) thought the conflict was unjustified

• Northern abolitionists feared any territory gained in the war might be organized into slave states

• Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln wrote the “Spot Resolutions” in 1848– asking Polk to show the spot where American blood had been shed on American soil

Zachary Taylor led 6,000 U.S. troops into Mexico

Santa Ana led an army of 20,000

Both met near Monterey in 1847

Santa Ana retreated

US INVADES MEXICO

Winfield Scott led navy to Vera Cruz and captured it on March 27 with 10,000 troops

Mexican army made a last stand at Chapultapec Castle, Sept. 13, 1847

Los Niño's Heroes

Mexico surrendered February 2, 1848

Battle of Veracruz

THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO (1848)

1. Forced on Santa Anna and Mexico

2. Southern boundary of Texas set at the Rio Grande

U.S. gained:Present-day states of California, Nevada, and UtahMost of Arizona and New MexicoParts of Colorado and Wyoming

3. U.S. agreed to pay $15 million to Mexico and pay debts of Mexico to U.S. citizens

4. U.S. size increases by almost 25%

SLAVERY?

• David Wilmot attaches rider: “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist” in any territory acquired by the United States in the war against Mexico

• Senate blocks rider known as “Wilmot Proviso”

• Question of slavery expansion continues to be a sore spot in Congress